The Start of Something New
by albluvscbg
Summary: She really didn’t worry about too many things; her life was pretty charmed in a way that she really didn’t have to. But there was one thing she had begun to worry about, and it had everything to do with the beautiful boy sitting next to her.


_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or its characters...I own nothing but this story's plot!! _

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**_The Start of Something New_**

"Natie, Nate, Nate, Natie," Serena called into the buzzer of the expansive house that belonged to the Archibald family. It was a beautiful summer morning, the sun was shining and a cool breeze was rolling off the tulip trees that sporadically stood on the edges of the New York City sidewalks. It was a picturesque day.

"He is not awake yet, Miss Serena," the foreign voice of an older woman sounded through the speaker system. "How about I ring you up and let you wake him?" She asked pleasantly.

"Yes, Yes please!" Serena cheered delightedly. She was very eager to start the day she and Nate had planned and she knew no better way to start it than with a wakeup call from herself. "Thank you so much Dasha," she called to the Archibald's longtime housekeeper as a thank you before bounding through the heavy oak door of their manor.

Though the Archibald house had an elevator, Serena had always preferred taking the stairs. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she and Nate had often played there as children when their mothers took tea together.

Nonetheless, she climbed the grand staircase that lead to the upper level of their mansion. She stepped onto the second floor and raced over to the third door on the right. It was a place she had spent so much time growing up and knew she would continue to spend time here in the future.

She opened the door and there was her Natie, sprawled out across his plaid bedspread with a gray fleece throw thrown across his legs. His chest was bare, tan, and muscular from all the time he had recently spent in the Hamptons with his father, working on his sailboat. His sandy hair was messy and sticking out in various directions, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

She took in his sleeping form for a moment, trying to decide what was missing. And then it hit her. The only thing that could make Nate look more perfect would be if his stunning green eyes were open for everyone to see, not closed off as they were right now.

But the good thing was, she knew just how to fix that.

So the bubbly blonde pranced over to the bed and carefully climbed on top of the boy she had come for. Straddling his body she sat down on his pelvis and proceeded to grab his shoulders and shake them.

"Wake up Natie!" She sang in a voice that sounded like a sparrow's song. And she bounced up and down on his bed for emphasis as she screamed, "It's such a beautiful day outside!"

Nate opened his gorgeous green eyes and looked up at the girl who was straddling him in his bed. It is had been any other guy, they would think they were dreaming, that they had stepped into some dream. But not him. This was his life, complete with a beautiful best friend that just happened to do things that were fantasy-worthy on a daily basis.

"Yay, you're up," Serena sang, as she rolled off of him and onto the bed beside him. "I have so much planned for us to do today!"

"Really?" He asked her, his voice somewhat sarcastic. He couldn't help it, there was no one else that he knew that could be this excitable at such an early hour.

"Yep," she said plainly as a smile graced her goddess-like features. She ran a hand through her wavy blonde hair, stretched it up in the air, and finally let it fall by her side. "So get up. You're sleeping your life away."

At this Nate couldn't help but laugh. He rolled over to look at the antique alarm clock that sat beside his bed. "Serena, it's only 9:30," he told her.

"I know," she said, jumping off the bed, her navy eyes sparkling. "And there is no better time to head down to the park so hurry up!" She said as she picked up a pair of Brooks Brother's khaki shorts and threw them at Nate's head.

He caught them just in time to keep them from hitting him square in face. "Okay, okay, I surrender," he said to her. "But just promise me we can stop get croissants at that bakery down the corner from my house."

"Already done," Serena smiled, holding up a white bag that was filled with the goodies. "Now get dressed and meet me downstairs in five minutes or I might just have to eat yours. I already ate mine on the way here," she said playfully.

"Give me three and I'll meet you on the front steps," he told her hopping out of his bed as she exited the door to his room.

* * *

"Isn't feeding the ducks just the best?" Serena asked Nate as they sat on a rock by the pond's edge. "It just relaxes me so much." It was one of those days where the water was being blown lightly by the breeze, and the ducks seemed to be somewhat full so they didn't swarm , but still interested in the food.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he answered her, absentmindedly throwing a handful of breadcrumbs in the direction the ducks were swimming out on the water in front of them.

"These ducks must have the easiest life in the world," Serena thought out loud. "All they have to do all day is swim around and wait for the next person to throw them some food. They don't have to worry about anything. Not like us," she said, stretching her arms behind her and leaning back onto them.

"And what do you have to worry about?" Nate asked her, turning over his shoulder to look at her. "Your life isn't exactly hard."

"I know," Serena laughed, shaking her head from side to side. "But just to be totally carefree. Not having to worry about school and drama would be wonderful."

Nate leaned back so he was closer to her face. "I hate to break this to you, but you are pretty much the most carefree person I've ever met," he told her, brushing a piece of blonde hair from her sun kissed cheek. "I really don't believe you worry about all that stuff."

Serena smiled and batted her long dark eyelashes. For the most part he was right. She really didn't worry about too many things; her life was pretty charmed in a way that she really didn't have to. But there was one thing she had begun to worry about, and it had everything to do with the beautiful boy that was sitting next to her.

* * *

"So I want to hear what the next part of your master plan is," Nate said, as the two walked side by side down the busy New York City street. They had already eaten lunch at their favorite little Chinese restaurant and he was anxious to see what else she has in store.

Serena jumped in place and turned to face him, causing Nate to stop walking and stop dead in his tracks. "Well, it may be kind of cheesy but I'm hoping you'll still say yes anyway," the blonde began, all the while being very animated as she talked with her hands.

"Okay, well lay it on me," Nate encouraged; sure he was going to love anything she suggested. If he was dying and he could chose one person to pick the day with it would definitely be Serena, because nothing she every suggested doing was boring, maybe it was because you were doing it with her, but nonetheless, everything was like an adventure with her.

"There's this old theater down on 43rd street that has this monster movie marathon going on," Serena began to explain, her navy eyes sparkling like precious gems. "And okay, I'm a total sucker for the Dracula movie. I don't know why, I just like them. So I was hoping that you wouldn't mind going with me and giving me a shoulder to hide my face in if it gets too scary," she said, grabbing his hand with her own. "Please Natie," she begged, giving him her best puppy dog face.

It was an act she didn't have to do, he would have said yes regardless. "How can I say no to that face," he asked her, pulling her in for a hug. "Of course we can go watch Dracula. But don't be surprised if I try to suck your blood," he teased, with his best Transylvanian accent.

Serena collapsed in a fit of laughter in his arms. "Don't make fun," she said, and punched his chest. "It's a classic."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, faking a lack of enthusiasm. In reality he couldn't be more excited. He loved old horror movies, especially when they allowed him the chance to snuggle up with certain blondes.

* * *

When they exited the theater it was getting close to sunset. The air had started to cool off and the sky was just beginning to change colors on the horizon.

"So you didn't watch much of the movie," Nate observed once the two were comfortably situated on a bench in front of the theater.

Serena looked up at him and smiled bashfully, an act she did not do very often. So she was busted, but she couldn't help it if she enjoyed being wrapped up in Nate's arms more than watching a old black and white movie she had seen over fifty times.

"What?" He asked her, noticing a hint of mischievousness behind her seemingly shy features.

"Nothing," she answered back with a small smile as she shook her head from side to side. "I guess the movie was scarier than I remembered."

Nate just nodded his head in agreement with her. All in all, he was glad she had been scared; it gave him the chance to run his hands through her blonde waves and keep her close.

"You know what would be good right now," Serena spoke, breaking the silence that had settled between the two friends.

"What?" Nate asked her point blankly, as he turned to look at her once more.

"Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream," Serena announced, her face completely serious as she stood up from the bench.

"Are you serious?" Nate asked her, "It's almost supper time."

"I know," Serena told him, taking his hand and pulling him up. "And what better dinner than ice cream?" She asked. "After all, we won't be able to get away with it much longer," she told him, resembling a little child as she threw him a wink.

"You're right," he agreed once he had stood up. "Let's go get some ice cream."

"Yay!" Serena cheered as she threw herself into his arms. It really didn't take much to please her. And she loved that Nate seemed to completely get that.

* * *

After getting their frozen treats, Nate and Serena walked aimlessly down the street just laughing with one another and sharing their thoughts on what the next school year would bring. Neither one of them could believe it was right around the corner.

"Whoa, look up at the sunset," Nate commented, pointing at the skyline created by the tops of the buildings. "I don't think I've ever seen it quite so red."

"Me either," Serena agreed, taking in the site before her. Then she turned to look at Nate, his ice cream cone had dripped down his hand and onto this shirt. "Nate, look at you," she said causing him to face her. "You're a mess," she adding, wiping some of the ice cream off his hand with her finger then trying to lick it all off before her hand turned completely sticky, touching her face in the process.

"You are too," he laughed, pulling the forgotten wad of napkins out of the pocket of his khaki shorts. "A beautiful mess. Here," he offered, taking the napkin and gently wiping her nose with it.

Serena just looked at him, taking in the moment. She let their eyes lock, unable to break away from the green orbs that pierced her to her soul.

Nate dropped the napkin from his hand and gently cupped the blonde's cheek. HE wasn't sure what the rules were here, they were friends, _best_ friends. But he couldn't hide the way he felt any longer. And being here with her, about to start a new year, he knew there was no one he would rather start it with. So he leaned in and kissed her dewy pink lips, they tasted just like candy.

Serena was so elated. Nate kissed her! This had to mean that she hadn't been breaking any sort of friendship rules when she had developed this crush on him. She kissed him back letting the ice cream cone she had been holding fall to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

And when they broke apart, both their faces displayed a matching pair of smiles, much brighter than the colors put off by any sunset.

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**Hope you enjoyed my fluffly Serenate story!! It doesn't really have much of a plot or a back story, just my favorite GG couple having fun. I just love this couple and can totally see them spending a summer day doing exactly these shorts of things...not really worrying about anything but spending time with one another and being perfectly content! Let me know what you thought!! :) **

**Audra**


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